My family isn’t rich but then again we aren’t poor. Our house may be scarce but we dont need a lot of furniture. I share a mattress with Elena and Jacob, my siblings. We’ve had this sleeping set up ever since we were three under three. Ma and Pa also share a bed so everyone’s happy since we all have to give a little.

The dog sleeps outside on the front doorstep. He guards our door that has no lock from the homeless who try to come inside, to sleep and hide away from the prying eyes of society.

We do have one comfortable chair which Pa sits in every morning reading yesterday‘s newspaper, which our neighbors give him for free. When finished he kisses all us girls on the forehead and shakes Jacob’s hand as Jacob thinks he’s far too old for kisses though he doesn’t say a thing when it’s Ma who’s giving them.

Then day after day Pa gets up and goes to work taking with him a lunch wrapped in a little stained towel that has aquirred three holes over the years, that Ma packs him every day. My Pa gets home after dusk, dirty and tired, but still only making half of the minimum wage. And yet he can’t go to bed. He has to deal with the lot of us while Ma goes to her second job.

We make it a point to always have dinner as a family before she leaves. We have it later than most but it’s worth the wait to have it together.

I walk to school with my siblings everyday, once we’re out the door Ma heads to her first job.

She’s a seamstress, but she’s off work in time to walk with us home from school.

After dinner me and my siblings clean the table. Then me and Elena wash the dishes while Jacob walks the dog. During which Pa drives Ma to her second job in our only car that’s old, rusty, and falling apart.

At Ma’s second job she transcribes her boss’s handwritten notes to a type writer. When she’s done with her work, a family friend drops her off at home on the way to their own. Once Pa gets us settled down in bed. He sits in his chair, humming soft melodies that put me right to sleep until Ma gets home. Even though it’s always late when she gets back so he’s already half asleep.

Out of my siblings I get the best grades, then Jacob, then poor Elena. You can always catch her off in a day dream. With that information you can imagine my favorite time of the month is when the report card comes in.

Month after month without fail, there’s a knock on the classroom door in the middle of a lesson, and when Mrs. Renner answers it, there’s a student. A different one each time but nevertheless they always hold a stack of large sealed yellow folders. With Childrens first and last names written on them in large cursive letters.

Mrs. Renner always pauses class to hand them out though we’re not to open them till we’re home with our parents. I trace the edges of mine with my pointer finger before bringing it close to my face. It always smells of coffee.

On these days, when we get home me and Ma set out the pillows we keep under Pa’s chair. There’s three of them, one for me, Elena, and Jacob. My pillow is light blue with a white trimming. Jacob’s is made of a very soft dark green fabric, and Elena’s is light pink with many small white flowers. Once lined up in-front of the chair vertically, I set each of our yellow folders on our pillows.

When Pa finally gets home we rush to our pillows. Pa’s in the chair and Ma leans against it. The two look like royalty from where we sit. First Jacob hands his folder to Pa since he is the youngest.

“Oh Jacob, these are amazing!” Ma exclaims gesturing for Jacob to come to her.

“You did great son. I’m proud of you.” Jacob extends his hand and Pa takes it. It’s a soft handshake but a smile breaks Pa’s tired features. Ma embraces Jacob before kissing his forehead. She then pulls him back a tad love radiating off her smile. She takes the hair that’s in his eyes and tucks it behind his ears as mothers do.

“Mom!” Jacob says in a playful tone.

“Off you go.” She pats him on the back and sends him off to wait in the dining room for the rest of us. Next up is Elena. I can tell she’s nervous and knows she has gotten the worst grades of the three of us without even having to look.

With a shaking arm she hands Pa her yellow folder. Slowly he opens it. Ma and Pa’s eyes scan the paper. Their happy expressions slightly droop before they can plaster them back on. It was a small thing they did, but the small things count. I noticed it and I can tell Elena noticed it too. Pa places the folder in his lap upside down. Elena definitely noticed that since I can practically hear her mind racing. Ma gestures for Elena to come forward. She stands up and walks over to them her eyes glued to her shoes. Then she finally looks up and meets Pa’s eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She whispers in voice that sounds like she’s about to cry.

“Oh, Elena.” Ma whispers with her hand clutched close to her heart. Pa’s big calloused hands wrap around Elena’s neck to the back of her head. She starts to cry silent tears before letting out a soft whimper. Ma puts her hand on Elena’s shoulder.

“Elena.” Pa says in a soft voice. He rests her hand’s in his and squeezes them. “Do you know what saying I live by?” Elena just stands there, her eyes on her feet again. “It’s better to go steady then too fast or too slowly. The rabbit did not only not win the race because he was to fast but also because he was too slow.” Still Elena says nothing. “Elena, meet my eyes.” Pa says sternly but warmly, and she does. “You have made improvements in your grades Elena. They may be small but they are improvements nonetheless. Don’t compare your grades to that of others. Comparison is the thief of joy. You should be very proud of how far you’ve come. I know I am.” Then Pa gestures for her to sit on his lap and she does. He then whispers something in a tone so low only she can hear. She whispers something back and they hug for a good while.

Ma kneels down and out stretches her arms before picking Elena up and twirling her.

Saying “I love you!” in a melodic voice. She then sets Elena down and kisses both of her cheeks before sending her too off to the dining room. Elena walks to the table practically skipping while wiping the rest of her tears off with the bottom of her dress. It’s finally my turn. Sadly I have wait the longest since I am the eldest.

“Ma, Pa.” I stand up, nodding to both of them and hand them my folder.

“Rose.” Pa says “These are amazing, even better than last time.”

“And I don’t see how that’s possible!” Ma adds with her hand now spread across her chest, staring in awe at my paper.

I’m smiling ear to ear.

“Elena you amaze me. Not just with this but with everything, I am truly so proud of who you’ve become and are becoming still.” Pa says. His facial expression mixed with his words makes me feel like I’m lying in a field of flowers, with the sun beating down warmly and a lovely light breeze blows in the wind. Where the sky is a beautiful color of blue with no clouds in sight.

“Come here my little rose.” Ma says stealing me from Pa. “Oh you do know how much I love you Rose?”

“How much?” I ask her, squeezing her tightly.

“More than all the stars in the nights sky.” She whispers in my ear before hugging me tightly. “Shall we go to the table?” She asks Pa and me.

“We shall” Pa answers. We then walk together hand in hand over to the table.

Kids at school call my family poor, and other names too such as the scum of this town. But I believe we’re the richest of families around. We’re rich in love.